Ashitaka to San no Sekki
by KagomeGirl92
Summary: AU fic. San has always lived peaceful life in the village of Emishi, despite the fact that many there dislike her, with her childhood friend and now love Ashitaka. But what will happen when a Tatarigami curses Ashitaka? R&R!
1. Tatarigami arrives to the Emishi

Ashitaka to San no Sekki

Name means "Tale of San and Ashitaka". The name Mr. Miyazaki first thought for Princess Mononoke afterwards was "Ashitaka Sekki", since the movie tells about **him**.

Repartees are from the Japanese version of the movie, translated. I got them from Japanese Mononoke Hime script.

I don't own Princess Mononoke and English is not my first language! (Note: I **will **not say this again!)

* * *

_A long, long time ago, this county was overrun by deep forests. Within these forests lived the gods of old_

* * *

San was coming back from her herb-gathering. She was a quite beautiful young woman in age of seventeen. She had short greenish brown hair and sharp blue eyes. Se wore a dark blue kimono that just reached her knees, a hair band and a crystal dagger as a necklace. 

San was a member of the Emishi tribe, the warrior clan who over five hundred years ago lost in the battle with Yamato clan and escaped far away to the east. Now they lived hidden.

San wasn't actually a pure Emishi, she had been adopted to the clan by their oracle Hii-sama. San had been found in the forests near the clan's village. Hii-sama had taken her in and taken care of her ever since she was a child. Tough Hii-sama had tried to convince everyone that San was trustable, many were still suspicious over her. There was only few people who accepted San. Hii-sama, of course, Jii-ji, the old man of the guarding tower, the clan's princess Kaya and the clan's prince Ashitaka.

San flushed a bit at the thought of Ashitaka. He was her best friend. They had grown up together. However, as they grew up, the feelings had grown and now they were engaged to be married as soon as they both reached age of twenty. They were deeply in love. The dagger that San had had been given to her by Ashitaka when he asked her to be his fiancée.

'Well, I guess the villagers have a reason to me suspicious over me' San thought as she walked. It was quite true. San had been different ever since childhood. She had always been nature-loving and some might even say, a little wild. San loved being outside and specially in the forests. She was also a very different to be a girl. She was an excellent hunter and fighter. This had as a reason that when she had been a child, she had not had much playmates. Ashitaka had been the only one, but since he was the future leader of the clan, he had had to train his fighting skills since the day he was able to walk. So, he hadn't had much time for San. Then one day, San got enough of that and she went with Ashitaka to his fighting lessons. It had not been very accepted at first, but Ashitaka had managed to convince everyone for that. Ever since then, they had been training together and they both were excellent fighters. Even with these things, San had other specialties too. She had always had a good sense of smell and hearing. Much better than a normal human. San didn't mind this at all, it was actually quite handy at times, but she didn't like that they made people of the clan more suspicious over her.

'Well, as long as I have Ashitaka….' She thought and tugged the crystal dagger gently. It was very special to her. Not only because Ashitaka gave it to her, but also because it was one of the few memories Ashitaka had had of his parents. They had died long time ago, when they had been just children. Ashitaka had taken care of his sister Kaya since then. San had been quite surprised when Ashitaka didn't cry at all when his parents died in the strange illness. She had not asked about it from him though. She felt that he didn't want to talk about it.

San's name meant "three". She had got that name, because she had been found the third day of march, the third month of the year. It was also because she had been the third child in the village at that time. Ashitaka was one and then there was a girl Sayu, who however had left the village three years ago, because she had wanted to see the land outside of the east.

"San!" she heard the familiar voice behind her

"Ashitaka!" Ashitaka rode his faithful red elk, Yakkuru. Ashitaka was quite handsome young man, he had dark brown hair as a _mage_ on top of his head, dark blue warm eyes and he wore blue kimono-styled shirt and white pants.

"Good that I found you. Hii-sama says everyone must return back to the village"

"Yes, I've noticed something's up. I can't hear the birds and there's no scent of creatures anywhere"

"I'm going to check this out with Jii-ji in his tower. You go back to the village, and be careful"

"Alright. You be careful too!" she said as she broke into a run. She soon made it out of the forest and saw Kaya with her few friends

"Kaya!" she called out for her

"Oh, San!"

San went to her

"Ashitaka told me to go back to the village. Something strange is up here"

"Alright. Let's go"

Kaya and her friends started walking a bit faster. San saw them off. Then suddenly, she heard something. And smelled too.

'It smells like a danger!'

She turned around and saw something. It was huge and it was all covered in a strange slugs or worms.

It was a Tatari-gami!

"San, look out!" she heard the voice, it was Ashitaka who was riding Yakkuru. San saw him to shot the Tatari-gami. The arrow he casted hit and the Tatari-gami made a sound of pain

"San, nigero! Hayaku!"("San, run! Hurry!")

San ran a bit further, but only away from the Tatari-gami. She saw that those slug-things that were on the Tatari-gami had taken Ashitaka's hand to their thigh hold. Ashitaka managed to get rid of them, but they stayed around his hand. He casted another arrow. Now the Tatari-gami's slugs started to fell of and San could see it was actually a huge orange boar-god.

"Ashitaka!" she screamed as she ran towards him

"Are you okay?" she asked. She knew that that question wasn't needed, she could see he wasn't okay. He had fallen off from Yakkuru's back and he was holding his arm where the slugs had taken hold on. There was now a wound on it.

People of the Emishi started to gather around them.

"Ashitaka's wounded!"

"Someone bring Hii-sama here, quickly!"

"San! Ani-sama!"

Kaya came to them

"San, Kaya, don't touch my arm. This wound's not ordinary"

"Everyone, you mustn't get any closer!"

"Hii-sama!" San noticed, but didn't leave Ashitaka's side.

"What should we do?" Kaya asked worried

"Pour this water slowly on the wound" Hii-sama answered as she gave Kaya a large bottle. Kaya did so. Ashitaka groaned as she did. San held his shoulder thigh, trying to give him comfort. Hii-sama walked over to the boar

"Though I know not from whence thou came, rampaging god, I would humbly and respectfully speak to thee. We will build a mound on this place, and observe a festival in honor of thy departed sprit. Forget thine anger, and be calmed" she said as she bowed few times

"You damned fifthly humans. You will know well my suffering and hatred…" the boar growled as it's skin and flesh wore off as a blood, leaving only it's bones. When this happened, the horrible smell came into the air. At that moment, San just knew, the boar definitely wasn't lying. And if she was right, it was Ashitaka the boar had affected.


	2. A curse and a begining of a journey

Ashitaka was in the shire of the village with Hii-sama and the village elders. San had wanted to come, but she had not been allowed. She had really been pissed about that. Hii-sama was fortune telling with her stones.

"Well, this has become a worrisome situation. That boar turned up from a land in the far west. Driven mad by the poison of his mortal wounds, his flesh rotting away, he ran and ran towards here, accumulating curses, until finally he became a Tatari-gami. My dear Ashitaka-hiko…"

"Yes, ma'am"

"Show everyone your right arm"

Ashitaka took the bands away from his hand and showed a violet scar that was all over his arm.

"Hii-sama!" Jii-ji said in horror

"My dear Ashitaka-hiko, are you prepared to gaze your own destiny?"

"Yes. I decided the moment I shot my arrow at the Tatari-gami" Ashitaka answered. And he spoke the truth. San was safe and unharmed, so was Kaya and the whole village. He didn't care if he would die, it was worth it, if he had saved the village for now at least. As a prince, he couldn't let his people to die out.

"Hmm." Hii-sama said as a agreement "That wound will eventually reach your bone and probably will kill you"

Ashitaka gazed the floor. He was happy the village and San were safe, but he also knew that he would die way before San and him could get married. San would be heartbroken by this new.

"Hii-sama, isn't there anything we can do?" Jii-ji asked, still in horror. Ashitaka was like a grandchild to him and he didn't want him to die.

"Ashitaka saved our village and protected our girls!" Another on the elders said

"To only sit and wait for death…." The third man said quietly

"No one can change destiny. However, it is up to him to decide whether to just wait, or to proceed for himself. Look..." She said as he put a small iron ball on the ground from her sleeve

"This is the thing that ate into that boar's body. It smashed his bones, tore up his guts, giving him cruel pain and suffering. Otherwise, would the boar have become the likes of a Tatari-gami?...

There is something ominous happening in the western lands. Going there, to ascertain everything with unclouded eyes, you may possibly discover a way to sever that curse." She said

"Yes, ma'am" Ashitaka said. He had to go. The curse could spread from him to the other villagers and kill them too, if he stayed. Maybe even San and Kaya….

"Defeated in the war against the Yamato regime, we have been hidden away in this place for more than 500 years. Now we've heard that the power of the Yamato king has withered, and that even the fangs of the Shoguns were broken. Yet, the bloodline of our clan also weakens. It may be unchangeable fate that, at this time, the young man who should have become our leader departs to the west." One of the oldest elders said sadly.

Ashitaka took a small knife and cut his _mage_ off, leaving his hair messily on his shoulders. This was a costume to do, when someone died. Ashitaka was dead to his village. He couldn't return, even though he could get rid of the curse. It would cause conflict if he came back and his return would also reveal the village's location to the Yamato clan. The clan would have to choose a new leader now.

"According to our rules, we may not see you off. I wish you well." Hii-sama said.

'I know the laws, but…I can't even see San….' Ashitaka thought as he got ready for his travel and took Yakkuru as his only companion.

"Ashitaka!" he heard San's voice

"San, go back to hut, I don't want you to get in trouble because of me"

"What do you mean? Can you tell me what did you talk about? Is the wound serious? Where are you going?"

"I have to leave our village. The wound is a mark of a curse to death. It will spread and kill me very soon. I have to leave the village forever, because if I would stay, the mark could spread on the whole village"

"No! You can't leave us, you can't leave me! There has to be a way to cure that!"

"There may be, but if there is, it is not in our territory. I have to travel far away to the west to find a cure"

"Please, let me come with you! There is no any kind of life for me, if you don't belong into it! I don't want to live, if you are not with me"

"But San, if you are with me, the curse may fell on you as well" Ashitaka said. He wanted San to come, but he didn't want to be selfish. San had her whole life ahead of her, she should live it here, where it was safe.

"I don't care! If we manage to find a cure, then we can heal both of us! If we don't, we can as well die together! Please, life won't be living worth to me here. As you leave, everyone would hate me!"

"San…"

"No! It was my fault that you even got that curse! If I would have run faster, you wouldn't have had to protect me and be cursed in the first place!"

"San, I couldn't have lived in the knowledge that it had been my fault that you had gotten that curse instead of me"

"Exactly! If it wouldn't have been this way, and I would have been cursed instead and leaving now, what would you do?"

"I…" Ashitaka thought all they had gone through together. All the games they played as children, the trains of fighting skills in older age, San by his side when his parents died, rides on Yakkuru together to the forest, The day he asked her to marry him.

They had always shared everything. Cries, smiles, angers, laughs. Everything.

"I….I would probably do the same thing as you are doing now. Alright, you can come with us, but I want you to understand that you can't return either, if you leave now" Ashitaka finally said.

"I know that very well. Like I said, I don't want to live my life, if you are not in it. I'm not changing my mind. I love you, so I always want to be with you"

"I love you also, San."

San went back to her hut and took her own mask-hat. Ashitaka had same kind of one, except that it was red, San's was baby blue. She put it on and went back to Ashitaka and Yakkuru. She climbed on Yakkuru's back, behind Ashitaka.

"Ready to go?" Ashitaka whispered to her

"Never been more" San answered.

"Hold on thigh"

With that, the young couple rode away from the village for forevermore.


	3. Samurais and the wound darking

Ashitaka, San and Yakkuru traveled for two days. They stopped for nights and meals, but otherwise they traveled the whole time. With a goodnight sleep, they managed to travel all this time. Finally, they seemed to have gotten away from the forests to among the humans.

They were near a town and saw a group of villagers, including a strange-looking Buddhist priest or monk, being attacked by a group of Samurai and soldiers.

"A war…?" San asked quietly

"Look, up there! They have helmeted heads!" one of the samurai said

"Good, we'll get a good prize for this!" another one said

A few of those samurais started to shoot them, but as Yakkuru broke into run, they didn't hit them. San and Ashitaka both took their bows and arrows. They were heading towards one of those samurais, who was about to slaughter a woman. Ashitaka took his arrow and got ready to shoot him

"STOP IT!" he screamed. As he did so the mark on his right arm ached violently, as if the Tatari-gami's "slugs" were still on his arm

"Ashitaka!" San screamed really worried. But Ashitaka's arrow had reached it's target. It had ripped off the samurai's hand and pinned them to a tree!

The handless samurai was really confused and he just said "Huh….!" In a deep amaze. As our group ran from next to him, he fell on the ground still in a deep confusion.

"What the hell is up with that arm!" San stared in scare and amazement as well as horror.

"They won't get away! I'll get them!" Another samurai loaded his arrow, but it just didn't hit them

"I'll take care of that one. Yakkuru, take Ashitaka to the forest! There should be safe! Find a water pond for the wound!" San screamed as she jumped off from Yakkuru's back with her bow and arrows. She loaded her arrow and it hit to the other samurai, taking his head off. After done with that, San too ran to the forest.

"They are demons…" The leader of the samurai said to himself.

* * *

Meanwhile, San reached Ashitaka and Yakkuru in the forest. They had luckily found a water pond and Ashitaka was washing his arm in its water.

"Are you alright?" San asked from him

"I think so. But the wound's becoming darker. What about you, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, I can take care of myself, you know. But what does that mean? I mean that the mark's getting darker?"

"I guess it's that the mark will grow anytime I get my negative feelings up in me"

"No…" San was now really scared. The more Ashitaka would have negative feelings, the sooner the mark would spread. And in this area it was many wars, he certainly would get his negative feelings up.

"Don't worry, I'll keep my cool" Ashitaka said, as he saw her worried face

San had to smile a bit. Whenever Ashitaka used that tone of voice, it always made her feel everything was going to be alright.


	4. Enter Jiko

In that town they had passed, the monk-priest named Jiko-Bou was eating rice soup.

"Oh damn, this tastes like a hot water…" He commented the soup to the lady who was selling it.

He saw Ashitaka, who was buying rice from another selling-lady. San had stayed with Yakkuru outside of the village.

"Oh, there he is!" he said as he quickly finished his soup and started to walk to Ashitaka. A lots of people had already gathered there.

The rice lady put some rice to Ashitaka's pouch.

"Will this do?" he said as he gave the lady his pay

" What the hell is this? This isn't money. If you don't have money, then give back the rice." The lady said. She was pretty upset, since she thought that Ashitaka was just wasting her time. Jiko-Bou came over

"Wait, wait, let this monk take a look." He took the pay from the lady and stared it "Hmm...! Oh! This is... Woman, this is a sizable gold nugget! So, if you'd prefer cash, I'd pay the bill. In return, please hand over this." He said

He continued " Everyone, is there a money house around here? Or not? As far as I can see, it's worth a bag of rice, no, three bags..." he said. Then he noticed Ashitaka was leaving.

"Hey, wait a minute!"

"Give that back to me, it's mine!" the rice lady said and took the gold back.

"I got some rice for us." Ashitaka said to San

"That's good. Shall we go then?"

"Yes." Ashitaka answered and climbed on Yakkuru

Jiko-Bou reached them

"Hey! So, not so fast!"

"Who are you?" San asked

"Calm your fury, San. He helped me in the town" Ashitaka said to his fiancée

"No need to thank me for that. I'm the one who wants to thank you two. When I was dragged into that backwater samurai skirmish, I was rescued due to your assistance. My, you surely were just like a fierce god."

"We're being followed!" San said quietly

"So, you noticed, huh? It's what happens when you wave the likes of a gold nugget in people's faces. Indeed, people's hearts harden and become rough like hemp. It'd be rather boring if we're attacked in our sleep. Shall we run?... Eh?" They started running.

* * *

Later that evening, they found a place to spend their night, a ruins of a village. Jiko-Bou was cooking the rice for them all.

"Hmmm….So the boar became a Tatari-gami…."

"We came here, following his footprints, but when we came to that village, I think we lost him" Ashitaka told him

"Now, we don't know what to do" San said

"That's to be expected. Look over there." Jiko-Bou said as he pointed to the ruins "There used to be a village the last time I visited. Floods, mudslides... no doubt, many people must have died. War, poverty, sickness, starvation; the human world is crowded with the dead, who died swallowing their resentment. If you're talking about a curse, then this world is a curse in itself." He finished and tasted the rice cooking

"Umm, yeah, delicious. By the way, don't feel guilty for killing those samurai, you saved me. Bring out your bowls. You both must eat first. People die anyhow. It just comes sooner or later. Hmm, what elegant bowls." He said as he put the cooking to the both bowls and handed them back to them.

"Looking at you two, it reminds me of a people of ancient times, as passed down in old writings. The heroic Emishi clan said to exist in the far Eastern lands, sitting astride Akashishi, using arrowheads of stone... And the earliest age the used to marry was twenty, like you two said. Eat up, it's your rice. I can also give you a small wink where you could go next"

"Where!" San asked right away

"As you advance further and further west from here, within the mountain recesses, there is a deep forest that bars humans. It is the forest of the Shishi-gami."

"The forest of the Shishi-gami?" Ashitaka asked

"I've heard that the animals that inhabit the forest are all enormous, and exist as they were in ancient times." Jiko-Bou answered to that.

Ashitaka and San finally started eating their rice. No one said anything anymore that night.

* * *

Early next morning, Ashitaka and San left for the west.

"Just as I expected, they are going…" Jiko-Bou murmured and went back to sleep.


	5. In the forest

After traveling few more days, our group reached a deep forest. It was a rainy morning when they came there. They heard some voices, like thunder.

"What was that?" San asked

"I don't know. It doesn't seem like it's a thundered rain…"

The rain stopped about the midday. They had reached a river middle of the forest.

"There's a scent of humans…and blood!" San noticed

"What? Hey, you're right, over there!"

They both saw a man in the river. Ashitaka hurried to him

"He's breathing!" he said as he took the man from the river and placed him on a rock. Then, he went middle of the river and took another man from there.

"I don't understand this…they are wounded, yes, but neither is bleeding. Where does that scent of blood come?" San wondered

"I'll check it out. Maybe there's still some people in the headwaters. Can you stay here and watch after these men?"

"Yeah. Just be careful, that monk warned us for beasts here. They might try something"

"Alright" Ashitaka said and gave a small kiss on San's cheek. Then he ran up to the headwaters.

He didn't have to go very much further, he soon reached what he had been looking for. He saw them from the hide of the fallen tree, in the other side of the river. They were three huge white wolves. The biggest one of them had two tails and a wound on the right side of its chest. The other one of the smaller wolves went down to the biggest and started licking its wound. The biggest one's eyes reached Ashitaka and it growled. Ashitaka knew his presence was in the knowledge of those beasts, so he came out from his hiding and said:

"My name is Ashitaka. I came here with my companions from the faraway lands to the east. Are you the old gods I have heard inhabit the forest of the Shishi-gami!

The wolves only gave him cold stares and continued growling. Then the biggest one stood and they all disappeared to the forest.

Ashitaka then heard scream of a man and hurried back to the injured men and San.

He found them staring at a small, white-green, semi-transparent being that was sitting nearby. The man looked frightened.

"Kodama...? There are Kodama here, too?"

"It seems so. I would have never guessed we'd found one of them here" San answered to him and smiled. The another of the men was shaking and trying to get away from the Kodama

"Quiet. If you move you'll worsen your wounds! If you let it do as it likes, no harm will come to you." Ashitaka advised the man

"He's right. It's a sign that the forest is plentiful." San said also

"These things call the Shishi-gami." The man said in panic

"Shishi-gami? A large mountain dog?" Ashitaka asked

"A mountain dog?" San asked in confusion

(A/N: The ordinary race of Moro tribe is Yama-inu, a mountain dog. It was only translated wolves, probably because the Yama-inu is not a race for us in the west to know very well. But I'll call them mountain dogs for now on, okay?)

"No. Something even more frightening, the chief of the monsters!" the man said. The Kodama slowly faded away "AA, it vanished!"

Another Kodama was in Yakkuru's back. They had started to gather all around them.

"Yakkuru is unconcerned. There is no danger nearby." Ashitaka said. Then, he gave San a look, and she nodded and went to the Kodama. San had always had a connection with everything living in the forest, though no one exactly knew why. So, she was going to talk to the Kodama.

"I'm sorry, but with your permission we will pass through your forest." She said to the one standing on Yakkuru's back

* * *

They started walking through the forest. Ashitaka carried the worse injured man on his back, while the other, named Kouroku was riding on Yakkuru. San walked next to him and Yakkuru.

"... I beg of you, let's go back! There's a path on the other side of the river. It's impossible to escape this forest!" Kouroku said frightened.

"The river's current is too strong for us to cross. Besides, if we don't hurry, it will be too late for this wounded man." Ashitaka answered tiredly to that

"Ashitaka, you shouldn't push yourself too much. Let me carry him a while" San said a bit worried

"Don't worry about me, it's alright"

As they walked through the forest, many Kodama appeared in front of them

"Huh. Are you guiding us? Or trying to make us lose our way?..." Ashitaka murmured, more to himself and San than the Kodama themselves.

"Danna, Dono, these things don't want us to return home! More and more keep appearing." Kouroku said

(A/N: Danna: Sir. I think that the Dono has a same sort of meaning, but it can be used with both genders. In this story, when they use these, they'll mean Ashitaka by Danna and San by Dono, okay?)

They had come to a very large tree

"So that's your mother?" Ashitaka said

"What a splendid tree!" San added. She had always had eyes for the nature and she knew when the tree was healthy or sick and when it was old or young. This was a big, old and healthy tree. She felt, for some weird reason, really proud for those creatures of the forest, who protected their forests so well.

They had came to a pond in the middle of the forest.

"The footprints of those mountain dogs. Can this be their domain…?" Ashitaka murmured quietly

"Now for sure it's dangerous! The entrance to the other world is here." Kouroku said from Yakkuru's back

"It looks like it, doesn't it? Let's rest a while." Ashitaka said and put down the wounded man he was carrying. Then he went to get some water from the pond. He saw a number of butterflies hovering over some marks in the grass.

"A footprint...? Three hoof marks... Still fresh..." he murmured.

On the other side of the pond, Ashitaka saw a herd of deer. At the moment he saw a strange beast which looked like a buck with many antlers, his right arm started to shake violently, causing him great pain. He put his hand to the water, trying to ease it

"Ashitaka!" San yelled and hurried to him. She held his shoulder and saw the strange beast too.

"What's that?" she whispered to herself. Then, they heard a deep voice calling:

"_San…San…You've finally came here…"_

"D-Danna, what's the matter!"

As the mysterious beast disappeared into the forest, Ashitaka's pain receded and he took his hand away from the water, panting hardly.

"Ashitaka?"

"Danna, are you all right? Your face is as white as a sheet! That's why I told you it's dangerous." Kouroku said

"Did you see anything?" Ashitaka asked "Huh...?" Kouroku asked in confusion

"I did. I wonder what it was…" San whispered

Ashitaka nodded to her and then said to Kouroku

"No, never mind about that"

Ashitaka then went to give some water from his bowl to the other wounded man

"Only a little more to endure. Hang in there." He said to him

"...Thanks..." the man whispered

Ashitaka looked towards the spot where the mysterious beast appeared

"(... He's gone.)" he said to himself

* * *

"(How is it... Since leaving that place, suddenly this man's body became lighter.)" Ashitaka wondered as they resumed their journey through the forest.

"Huh? It doesn't hurt!" Kouroku noticed "It's healed! Ouch, ouch, ouch, like I thought, it's broken..."


	6. The Tatara Ba

Ashitaka, San and the two wounded men emerged from the forest in sight of a huge island fortress on the other side of a lake. Smoke was running from the center of it, and the mountains around it were totally devoid of trees.

"Ah. Danna, Dono, it's wonderful, you're right! We've arrived at the Tatara!" Kouroku cheered. As they got out from the pond, his fear seemed to have faded.

"Seems almost like a castle." Ashitaka murmured.

"It's Eboshi-sama's huge Tatara. It heats iron sand and produces iron." Kouroku explained

Ashitaka pulled the mask of his hat over his face. When San saw that, she did likewise. Two men of Tatara Ba, carriers waiting by their ferry boat on Ashitaka's side of the lake, saw the group.

"People are coming from the forest." Said one of them

"Mononoke...!" guessed the other one

"Hey, it's me, Kouroku, the cattle herdsman!" he called out to them 

The men were quite surprised of seeing Kouroku, but gave them a boat to go across the lake. Yakkuru didn't fit in it, so he swam.

Their lake reached the shore. People of the Tatara were there to take them in. They were all quite amazed and shocked of their men's return among them

"You're not a ghost, are you?" one of the men said

"What about the others?" asked another

"There were two other men that fell!" the third added

"...We were the only ones who were saved." Kouroku said a bit sadly

A number of people watched the spectacle from the gate of Tatara Ba, which was at the top of a bluff facing the lake shore.

"The ones that die are always the cattle herdsmen..." said one of the many women there

The captain of the guard in the Tatara, named Gonza came out of the gate and paused momentarily, observing the situation below.

"Clear the way!" he said

"Gonza-sama, who might those with mask-hats be?" one man asked him

"I haven't seen the likes of them before..." was all Gonza could answer. But it was very obvious that those two were outsiders.

At the shore, Ishibiya troops lifted their wounded comrade out of the boat, while the cattle herdsmen handled Kouroku. San and Ashitaka too came out from the boat and went to Yakkuru. They could probably stay here for this night. Ashitaka knew that San was feeling uncomfortable among these all humans, so he took hold of her shoulder, also to show everyone that they were more than just companions.

San smiled at the touch of Ashitaka. He never showed much attention when there was people around, but he had his ways to show love and care, so no one wouldn't start flirting with them. Holding shoulder and hands were the marks of care they showed even with people around. His touch made her feel relaxed. San wasn't used this much people, since their village had been so small, and besides, San felt that these people had done something to cause the mountains around the Tatara not to have trees at all.

"Ishibiya troops! These kind travelers carried your comrade all the way here. Thank them!" Kouroku said to the people of the Tatara. Then, when they took him away from the boat, he felt pain and groaned:

"...AA, ow ow! ...Don't hold me there! ...AA ow, AA!"

One of the Ishibiya troops bowed to Ashitaka and San. This infuriated Gonza, who stomped down to face them.

"Sheesh...! You two there, wait!" he went down to them "Firstly, I thank you for bringing us our wounded. But I'm not satisfied with the situation. You came within an hour after we arrived here. Furthermore, they say you carried a large man from the bottom of the valley, and came out of the Shishi-gami's forest..." his voice drowned to a woman's screaming, who came running from the gate of Tatara Ba, to Kouroku at the lake shore.

"Kouroku, you're alive!" the woman screamed in amaze.

"Toki!" Kouroku called out for her

"A-a-a, you slouch! A cattle herdsman breaking a leg, how are we supposed to eat!" the woman Toki snapped at Kouroku

"But I couldn't help it..." Kouroku tried to explain

"You make me worry all the time. You might as well have been eaten by the mountain dogs. Then I could find a better man!" Toki kept snapping at him

"Toki, please forgive me!" Kouroku pleaded

"Toki, can't you have your domestic quarrels somewhere else?" Gonza asked her.

Toki only gave him a hard look and came to him, snapping to him as well:

"What makes you so great? Abandoning the wounded like that. What good are you as a guard? You haven't even pushed a bellow once in your life. You've got to risk your life in a crucial moment like that..."

"It couldn't be helped... Ah..." Gonza tried to explain. San tried to hold laughter. Then Toki started to look at them. San shivered, had she noticed she was laughing? Why would she be angry about that, though? All the people around them were laughing at the situation. Surprisingly, Toki changed her voice to kinder tone as she spoke to them:

"I thank you two. I'm glad you saved even that sort of husband!"

Ashitaka sensed San didn't know what to say to that, so he spoke:

"That's good. I was starting to get worried that maybe we shouldn't have brought him with us."

"Eh?... Hahahaha..." Toki laughed at that 

"Hey, you must be a good-looking man." Some flames came to San's eyes when she said that. There was a lot of women here, much more beautiful than she, what if she would lose Ashitaka here?

"Please let me see your face!" Toki continued.

Then they heard a voice of a woman from the gate:

"Gonza... I'd like to thank them later on; guide our guests. Kouroku..."

"Y-yes..." Kouroku said nervously

"It's good you came back safely. I'm sorry." The woman continued

"Y-yes..."

"That's absurd, Eboshi-sama. The fool is just going to get spoiled!" Toki said to that

"Toki, please forgive me as well. It was shameful since I was with him when this thing happened." The woman called Eboshi said to her

"Oh no, if it were just the men, about this time they'd all be settling down in peace and harmony inside a mountain dog's belly!"

Every woman except Eboshi started laughing at that. Inside of the laughter were voices of women who said "Really!" and "No mistake there!"

"Traveling gentleman and lady, be at ease and rest well!" Eboshi then said and went back to the town

Ashitaka and San lowered their masks.

"Oh! I knew it, you are a good-looking man!" Toki said as she saw Ashitaka's face.

* * *

That evening, after the gates of Tatara Ba are closed, the rice brought by Lady Eboshi's caravan was being distributed to the townspeople. Meanwhile, Ashitaka and San went to eat with other cattle herdsmen. Quite lot of women had come to its door to see if Toki spoke the truth of a handsome traveler.

"Hahaha, where, where? Eh, that man?"

"Really, just like Toki said!"

"A good-looking man, isn't he?"

"Isn't he a little young?"

"Even though you don't care about stuff like man's age…"

Then one of the cattle herdsmen said:

"Be quiet, won't you? We're holding a wake for dead here! Besides, he already has a partner!"

"As for good-looking men, here are some, too!" another man said

"Not me. What, cattle herdsmen?" one of the women said

"Hey, traveling gentleman. Why don't you come to our place? Don't stay in a stinking animal pen like this." Another woman said

"What are you talking about? We put our lives on the line to bring you the rice you're eating! I hope your mouth rots off." The man snapped at that, but the women didn't give in to that either:

"Huh, who makes the iron that buys that rice!"

"We tread the bellows all night long!"

They kept arguing for a while.

"Are you feeling uncomfortable?" Ashitaka whispered to San

"No, it's alright. I just don't like scent of this many humans…And this much smoke…"

"I know what you mean, and I don't even have your super-senses"

Toki then came up:

"Hey there, everyone, you should be working. You've bothered these travelers for way too long! Now, come on!"

The women left, but there was groaning that said "Not fair!" and "Just a little longer!"

"Please, don't take offense. In general, Eboshi-sama pampers them too much" one of the men said

"I hear that in a good village the women are high-spirited." Ashitaka said to that

"Still, I can't believe there are women in Tatara Ba."

"Generally, we should dislike having women here because they defile the iron. As far as Eboshi-sama is concerned, she sees the women that were sold off and takes charge of all of them."

"She's a kind person." Said one of the oldest men there

"Old man, rice is coming out of your mouth!" other man said 

"Although she's kind, she's a tough woman who doesn't care about laws or curses!"

"That's right, that stuff with the mountain dogs was nothing. We wanted to show you about the time she defeated Nago-no-kami, didn't we?"

"Nago-no-kami?" San asked

"He was an amazingly huge boar! He was the master of this vicinity. And then, no one could get close to the mountains. Humans could only bite their thumbs and look on enviously while seeing the mountains full of treasure!" One man said

Other man nodded as an agreement and said:

"Yeah, yeah. Since we had used up all the iron sand from these lower reaches..."

"All of the skilled Tatara people aimed to get there. Everyone was defeated."

"Our job is to strip the mountains and cut the trees down. The lord of the mountain became enraged."

San and Ashitaka could imagine Nago-no-kami's attack on the Tatara men.

"That's why Eboshi-sama appeared there, leading the Ishibiya troops."

Once again, they could imagine Nago-no-kami being shot by Ishibiya, resulting in a forest fire. Ashitaka held his right arm tightly, as if it was beginning to bulge again.

"Ashitaka?" San asked

"Danna... is something the matter? Does your arm hurt?"

"No, I was thinking about that boar... Where did he meet his end? No doubt his resentment must have been deep."

San knew Ashitaka was thinking the same she was. Nago-no-kami was that huge boar that had caused Ashitaka's curse. San felt burning hate for that Eboshi woman now. Also, because it seemed she was the reason the forests here were suffering.

'I swear I'll kill that damn woman and take revenge of Ashitaka's curse and the forests!'


	7. Meeting with Eboshi

Later, Gonza came and picked Ashitaka and San up to see Lady Eboshi in her hall.

"Ashitaka and San or whatever your names were, sorry for keeping you waiting." Eboshi said. Then she turned to Gonza and gave him a piece of iron she had been checking out:

"It's good steel." Then she spoke to them again: "The preparation for the morning shipment takes time..." then she said to a working woman a bit further:

"Let's take a break. Please tell everyone so."

"Yes ma'am." The woman answered

Then Eboshi spoke to them again:

"There are people who suspect you as agents of the samurai or the Mononoke. There are many people who have set their sights on this Tatara Ba. Could you please tell me the reason for your journey?"

Ashitaka took his undershirt away, revealing his right arm and the twisted scar of the curse on it

"You should remember this throwing stone. It is the throwing stone which smashed the bones of a gigantic Boar God and caused its flesh to rot, turning it into a Tatari-gami. I received this scar when I dealt the final blow to that boar. It is a curse leading to death." He said

"What about your country? You ride a strange beast..."

San answered to that: "From between the North and the East... beyond that we cannot say."

"Bastards! If you don't answer straightforwardly, I'll cut you both down!" Gonza said to that

"And what would you do, knowing the secret of that throwing stone?" Eboshi asked

"To ascertain everything with unclouded eyes, and decide." Ashitaka answered

"...! Unclouded eyes... Hahahahaha... Ahahaha... I understand. I will show you both my secret. Come!" Eboshi laughed at that and stood up. Ashitaka and San followed, though San looked quite furious to Eboshi

"Eboshi-sama!"

"Gonza, I entrust the rest to you!"

Ashitaka and San followed Lady Eboshi past a large building containing a steel-making furnace; many women are working a large foot-powered bellows, among them Toki and the others who had joked with Ashitaka at the dining hall. Then, they reached, following Eboshi, a fenced garden.

"Here is my garden, which everyone fears and does not approach. If you wish to know the secret, come." She said

She approached the door of a building on the far side of the garden; a bandaged person was sitting outside the door.

"Sorry for disturbing you!" she said as she passed and entered a building. Ashitaka and San followed.

"We just finished making one." They saw a banded woman talking to Eboshi, who was holding a gun on her hands

"It's still a bit too heavy." Eboshi said

"And you say that while holding it so effortlessly." Another banded, man this time, said

"When we pare it down too much, the metal clasps spring off." Another said

"I am not the only one who will use these. I intend to have the women here carry them." Eboshi said to that

"Hohoho, that would certainly be a sight..." Then Eboshi tunred back to Ashitaka and San

"This is the new Ishibiya that these people designed. The ones from China are heavy, and hard to use. With this Ishibiya, we can crush both monster and armor-clad samurai." She said to them

"Scary, scary! Eboshi-sama is trying to destroy a country..." said one of the banded

Eboshi turned back to the sick ones

"I'm sorry for making you hurry. I'll have sake and the like delivered later on." She said to them

"That'll be splendid!"

"You say that, not satisfied with plundering the forest of the mountain god and turning it into a Tatari-gami, you would bring forth more and more new hatred and curses with that Ishibiya?" San said, hating Eboshi even more. Ashitaka didn't look very happy either

"I feel pity for you, young man. That throwing stone certainly is a thing I have fired. Damned foolish boar; if he would put a curse on someone, he should have cursed me..." Eboshi said

Hearing her condescending tone, Ashitaka was consumed by rage. His right arm started moving on its own as if it had its own life, reached for his sword. But Ashitaka restrained his right arm with all his strength.

"Is that right arm trying to kill me?" Eboshi asked, calmly

"If the curse would vanish, I would do so. But this right arm would not stop at that alone." Ashitaka answered

"Ashitaka…" San said quietly 'I will not let you get your fury up by killing this woman. I'll kill her for you' she thought

"Will it not subside until it has killed everyone here?" Eboshi asked

"Eboshi-sama... Osa has something to say." One of the sick men said, looking to a very sick man, who was lying in the ground

"Eboshi-sama... do not make light of that young man's strength... Young gentleman... Since I am also a cursed person, I understand your anger and sorrow very well. I understand, but I beg you, please do not kill that person. She is the only person who treated us as human beings. She did not fear our illness; she washed my rotting flesh, and bound it up with cloth..." Osa said weakly as he coughed

"Osa..." the man said_  
_"To live is extremely difficult and painful... I curse the world, I curse people, and yet I want to live... I beg you, for my foolish sake..." Osa then said

Later, Ashitaka, San and Eboshi stood together on a wall outside the lepers' smithy. Eboshi shot the new-model Ishibiya towards some shadowy, ape-like figures on a far-off hillside.

"They've come again?...

When night falls, they come back like that. They come planting trees to take back the mountain... Ashitaka and San, won't you stay here and serve us with your strength?" Eboshi said

"Is it your intention to plunder even the forest of the Shishi-gami?" asked San

"If the old gods are no more, then even the Mononoke will become mere beasts. If light enters the forest and the mountain dogs are calmed, this will become a bountiful land. If we do so, the Mononoke Hime may stay a human as well." Eboshi explained

"Mononoke Hime...?" Ashitaka and San asked in the same time

"It is only a legend, but I believe in it. It's said that sometime, when the world is in crisis, the Shishi-gami will grate a girl with extraordinary powers of nature to exist somewhere with peace there. It is said that with her mate, she'll save the forests and lead the beasts as their princess. If she were to come here, it may mean my end. If she does, I have to make sure that the forests are away when she comes, so that she'll stay as a human."

Ashitaka and San watched each other in the eye for a moment. Then Eboshi continued:

"I have heard that the blood of the Shishi-gami can cure any illness. It may have the power to cure those who are afflicted with incurable disease, and to erase the mark of your curse!"

"Eboshi-sama..." one of the sick ones said from the room "What might the result be?"

"It's good work. Surely just right to destroy a country. But, just as I thought, it's a little heavy..." Eboshi answered to that

"Hahahaha. Scary, scary!"

Then Eboshi spoke again to San and Ashitaka

"Ashitaka, you may go now. I wish to talk a few words in private with your fiancée. You'll find Toki in the biggest building here is, she'll tell you where to go." Eboshi said

San looked Ashitaka to eye, with a look that said: "Don't leave me alone with her! I hate this woman!"

Ashitaka only gave her encouraging look to that and stepped off from the roof to the room.

"What did you wish to talk me about, Eboshi-san?"

"I only wish to ask you a few questions. How long have you known Ashitaka?"

"Why are you asking something like that?" San asked a bit annoyed

"Please, answer me"

"Alright. Ever since babyhood. We lived in the same village, so we grew up together."

"Was he ever something else than a love for you?"

"Yes. He's my oldest and best friend. But I guess I've always loved him as well."

"Would you have come here with him, even if you were just friends even now?"

"Yes. Ashitaka has always done his all for me, I have to do my all for him now, when he needs me to. Besides, even without love, he would still be my most treasured person"

"You seem to dislike humans a bit. Why is it so?"

"You can ask yourself that question. But the another reason for that is that I am not used to be with many people. Our village was small and almost everyone there disliked me. I can't trust almost anyone because of that"

"You love forests more than people, don't you not?"

"Yes, you could say that. Ashitaka is the only one I have ever loved more than forest"

"I see. You may go now. Just follow the orders I gave Ashitaka and you'll find him"

"Thanks, but it's not needed. I will find him in my very own ways"

"If you say so. Off you go"

With that, San went off from the roof and exited the house and the garden. Though there was much smoke in the air and much different scents of humans, she easily could place Ashitaka's scent. She had always loved his scent. She couldn't quite place how he smelt. It was different from anyone else's scent. It smelled almost like forest, yet not forest at all. It was like his kindness smelled in him. So, for San it was pretty easy to find him. She followed it to a small hut near the Tatara's exit. She entered

"I came" she said

"Good. I was starting to think you wouldn't find my scent, since there's so many others."

"I can always find you, no matter how many scents there are"

"It's good to know. What did she want to talk about?"

"She just asked some weird questions, don't worry about it. What I'm more concerned about is the forests here" San said. Ashitaka frowned

"Yes. It's very unfortunate. I wish we could do something"

"We can. There is a way for these people to live in peace with the forest. We grew up like that, so it can't be impossible here either. Right?"

"Right. We're going to the forest anyway, so we can in the meantime do something about this"

They stayed quiet for a while

"We should go to sleep, it's going to be a long day tomorrow" Ashitaka finally said

"Yeah"

With that, they settled down to sleep, next to each other. Before they fell asleep San said

"Ashitaka?"

"Yes?"

"You'll always be with me, right?"

"I will, as long as I'm just able to. Never forget that"

"Yes, I won't"

With that, they fell asleep.

* * *

Hi! Finally on author's comments, ne? It's pretty unusual that I've kept my comments this far, but it's because I've got such a passion and want to just write this story! It seems that Princess Mononoke is the thing I like to write the most. 

Well, this is just a sort of AU story, I got the idea while reading quite old Mononoke story... I put now just one chapter, because I haven't had much time to write so much. I've got a test-week at school and it really takes my time and murders my brain...Well, it's soon after this week, then I'll have more time, since the days get shorter too.

There's about all, the next time I comment will probably be in the end. But if you like Princess Mononoke music videos, I've made some!Just go to the Look to up in the right, there's a search box. Change the "Videos" to "Members" and searchwithpenname MononokeChan. Thereare my videos! Feel free to watch!


	8. San meets Moro

At that night, San woke up in a strange voice

"San…San, come outside of the town…Come to the mountain…"

'What? Who?'

"I'll explain later…Just come to the mountain and wait for two mountain dogs to come…"

San was really confused. Only thing she knew was that this voice wasn't real. It was telepathy. She looked at Ashitaka sleeping next to her.

"I'll be back soon. Don't worry" She whispered.

With that, she left the hut. The town was quite quiet now, but there was still lights in the biggest building and the smoke smell was still here as well.

San went easily through the gate, by climbing with a help of a rope. She started walking to the mountains. She wasn't scared. She had often been out in the forests even after midnight. This was the way she had used to live. She loved this feeling of familiarity. She reached the mountain. There wasn't any mountain dogs in the sight, though. Then suddenly, something hit her head

"Ow!" she moaned and turned to see what had thrown it. She saw a group of those ghostly ape-things she had seen earlier from Eboshi's roof.

"The Shoujou…" she murmured. She had heard of them. They were an ape clan, who had their own special ability to make trees and other plants to grow. But in the battle, they were quite hopeless.

"This is our forest" one of the Shoujou said

"Humans not to come here"

"You should go back quickly, or mountain dogs kill you"

"No, we won't. We were sent to pick this girl up" San gasped to another, deeper voice from behind her. She turned and saw two quite big mountain dogs. But she could easily tell they were just pups. Their mother would be much bigger. Probably bigger than her old hut.

"Girl human. Humans bad" on of the Shoujou answered to that

"She's not just human. This girl is daughter of Shishi-gami-sama, the Mononoke Hime"

"Be gone, before I get my fangs to you" Said another of the mountain dogs.

Then another of them turned to look on San.

"Your name is San, I believe?"

"Y-yes, that's my name, oh great forest god" San had learnt to respect the gods ever since she was born. This was just a semi-god, but it didn't mean she wouldn't show respect to them either.

"Then, San, hop on"

"Huh?" she said, but did so. Riding on this mountain dog felt strange, but not in the bad way at all. In fact, it felt quite comfortable.

"Hold on" the mountain dog said and started running. And god, he was fast! San didn't even see the places they passed.

Then, finally they stopped running and reached the same pond San, Ashitaka and Kouroku had come earlier that same very day.

"Go to the island there. Wait a while. Our mother will be there and tell you everything"

San entered the water. She had to gasp; her legs didn't go through the water! She was walking on the water with her feet! How was this even possible? She was just a mere seventeen-year-old Emishi girl…wasn't she?

'No time to think things like that. I guess I'll just have to walk' she thought. And she did walk. For some reason, this felt nice. Safe, like she was…at home or something. Still this had never happened before, she had swam a lot as child. She loved water. Was it because of this forest? She had known this forest was magical, but that it was this magical!

She reached the island shore. She didn't caught any scents near, so she decided to sit down to wait. She was a bit tired, since it **was** a night. Then, after some time, her nose caught a scent of a huge mountain dog…and there was a faint scent of blood as well! It had to be that same blood she had smelled in that river! The steps of this god were coming nearer. Soon, San saw a huge white mountain dog, and as she had thought, it **was** bigger than her old hut.

"Well, you are San aren't you? I've always known how you looked, but the last time I saw you like this, face to face, was when you were just an infant" The dog said

"Yes, great forest god, I'm San. Would you please tell me why did you want to meet me here? It was you that sent that telepathy message to me, wasn't it?"

"I thought you'd recognize my voice, you have good sense of hearing, young one."

"I've always had it that way. Same with smelling too."

"Yes I know…Well, time to tell you the reason. It was your fate, San to come here. You belong here."

San blinked 'Could it be?' she thought

"That's right, child. You're not just a human child. You're a semi-god raised by humans. The daughter of the Shishi-gami, and the Mononoke Hime, like humans like to address you.

You see, over seventeen years ago, when these wars started, Shishi-gami grated you from his own body, as his daughter. However, he didn't want you to grow up in a place where wars are going, so he instead gave you to those Emishi humans, knowing they would take care of you and make you to be able to fight. Your senses have always been good, since you're a semi-god. I was to watch after you by my telepathy. So I've done, you grew up much better than I never would have thought. But that you left the village for a human boy…"

"Silence! I will not let anyone to insult Ashitaka! You can kill me if you want, but I will not let you insult him!"

"Ah…You're not afraid of death are you? One more good thing… But don't worry, I won't hurt you. After all, you're the princess of this forest, and you're supposed to lead us in the war against humans."

"Ch-chotto matte! What do you mean? I just came around here today and now you want me to lead you in a war? I've never even fought in a war!" (A/N: Chotto matte, wait a minute)

"San, it's your fate. You must face it and not to ran away from it. But now it's late. Come here again tomorrow morning. You may bring your mate as well, if you like"

"I will bring him. Whatever is my destiny, he deserves to know it. I'll se you tomorrow then. But can you tell me your name?"

"I am Moro, the leader of the mountain dogs"

San nodded and then she left. By running, she reached the Tatara Ba in a few minutes. She went in, like she had come out and went to the hut, only to find Ashitaka awake

"Where were you? I was worried!" Ashitaka said

"Sorry, it's just…" then she told everything to Ashitaka

"Wow, that's quite a story"

"But you believe me, right?"

"Of course I do. I knew the Mononoke Hime was you right away when Eboshi told us about that legend." Ashitaka said warmly

"Thank you. Let's go to sleep, it's late." San said and smiled.


	9. The boar clan

The morning came soon, but before we watch what happens to our heroes, let's see what the monk Jiko-Bou is doing at the sunrise…

They were in a small hiding place covered with leaves.

"Jiko-Bou-sama..." said one of Jiko-Bou's men

"I know."

"Over there..."

"Such a countless number..." Jiko-Bou murmured

"Those aren't the boars of this forest; each one is a renowned lord of a mountain somewhere."

A huge, blind, white boar appeared on a mountaintop

"It's Okkotonushi of Chinzei!"

(A/N:Chinzei, or Chinsai is the old name for Kyushu, one of the major islands of Japan. Kyushu is located to the south of the main island of Japan, where our story takes place)

"Chinzei! You mean he crossed the sea?" Jiko-Bou amazed

"There's no doubt about it - those four tusks. He came here leading his clan, damn him!"

Okkotonushi looked them with angry eyes  
"We've been discovered! Pull out, hurry!" Jiko-Bou said and they ran away to the river, jumping on rocks in it

"Hurry up. Jump, jump!"

(A/N(again): Okkotonushi is the real full name of Okkoto, the leader of a boar clan. Translators probably just heard the name wrong, but I'll call him Okkotonushi, okay?)

* * *

San woke up at sun on her face. She remembered what she was supposed to do and started to shake Ashitaka awake.

"Ashitaka…Ashitaka, wake up!" she said, but the young man stayed asleep. This was strange, usually he woke up even earlier than her. He was no sleepy head at all. San started to fear the worst…but then she noticed he was breathing. And the pulse was there as well. She sighed out of relief. 'I guess it's the curse. He had his feelings up last night, it probably took the curse strength away, and his own as well. But I'll have to take him with me' She then went to Yakkuru and explained everything to him. Then, she helped Ashitaka to Yakkuru's back and led him away from the town. She got some suspicious looks, but didn't mind. San was more than used to that.

"Miss San!" She heard Toki's voice

"Oh, ohaiyou gozaimasu, Toki-san" (Oh, good morning, Mrs. Toki)

"Are you going? What wrong with him?"

"I don't really know. We're going to the forest. We were supposed to go there. Don't worry, I'm sure he'll be okay" San said

"Be careful over there. It might be dangerous"

"We will. Thank you." With that, she left the town and kept leading Yakkuru to the pond. Once again, she was able to walk on the water, but noticed that Yakkuru couldn't 'I guess It's because I'm so called semi-god' she thought. She thought herself as a human, and that wouldn't change so soon. She was raised by humans, and she cared for them, though she cared for forests too.

She caught Moro's scent and turned to face her.

"You're just in time. But what's up with your life-mate? Sleeping like that"

"He got cursed by a Tatari-gami as you probably know if you really have watched over me. I think it took away his strength."

"Well then. I bought some food for you. Eat, while I get my pups here. Soon, there will be some other gods I want you to meet"

San noticed a dried, raw meat next to Moro. Moro left and San ate. But she couldn't help but worry about Ashitaka.

"San…?" she heard a whisper

"You're awake! Thank goodness!"

"This is the place you talked about, isn't it…?"

"Yeah, I brought you here with Yakkuru's help. Are you hungry?"

"Yes…"

San took some meat that she hadn't wanted to eat and put it into his mouth. She saw Ashitaka was trying to chew, but he was still too weak to do even that. San was pretty amazed he even could talk. 'It can't be helped. He must eat to have his strength back…'

She took the meat and put it in her own mouth, chewed it and gave it to Ashitaka, mouth to mouth. She was blushing a lot about this 'Stay cool San! Stay cool now! It's not like it's the first time you kiss him!' she tried to think. She continued feeding him, until the meat ended. Ashitaka relaxed once more and she heard a faint whisper "Thank you….my forest princess…" San blushed again.

Moro and her two wolf sons approached, and watched as a number of large boars came into view. San placed herself between the boars and Ashitaka's prone body.

"We came in order to kill humans and protect the forest. Why are there humans here?" one of the boars said

"She's the daughter of Shishi-gami. There are humans everywhere. You should go back to your own mountains and kill them there." Moro said to that.

"We kill in order to protect the Shishi-gami's forest. Why are there humans here?" the boar said, looking Ashitaka. San stepped in to defend her love:

"I love this man. If you want my help, don't harm him. Just let him go back among the other humans" San said. She didn't want Ashitaka to leave, but she had to keep him safe from all this.

"The Shishi-gami allows humans here! You say he lets the humans get away from here! Why did he not save Nago-no-kami! Is the Shishi-gami not the guardian god of the forest!" the boar said. Now, they were all getting angry.

"The Shishi-gami both gives and takes life. Have you forgotten even such a thing, you boars?" Moro said to that

"No, it is because the mountain dogs are monopolizing the Shishi-gami. It is because you betrayed us by not saving Nago!" The boar said angrily

"It is because he feared death. As I do now..."

San gasped in a small fear and panic

"The humans' poison throwing stone has lodged itself in my body as well. Nago ran away, but I am gazing upon my own death without fleeing." Moro said

"Moro, therefore you must go to Otousama..." San said. She knew if forest would lose Moro, its guardians would soon be dying out

"San, I have already lived long enough. The Shishi-gami will probably absorb my life rather than heal my wound."

"No! If he's really my father, I can ask him to save you! You've protected him all these years!"

"We will not be deceived! Nago was our handsome and mighty brother. He would not have run. You mountain dogs ate him. You must have eaten him!" The boar said

"Silence! I will not forgive you if you trifle with the guardians of this forest!" San snapped

"Rampaging gods of the mountains! Please listen to me." They heard a weak voice. San gasped, it was Ashitaka, who was still lying on the ground! She knew what he was going to say, she had to do something! They might kill him, if they found out… But it was too late;

"It is I who dealt the final blow to Nago-no-kami. Out of necessity I killed a Tatari-gami that attacked our village and your princess. It was a large Boar God. This is my proof."

Ashitaka displayed his right hand, bearing the mark of the Tatari-gami's curse. San stared in horror; behind her, Moro's eye narrowed.

We came to this land on the chance that the Shishi-gami might do the favor of lifting this curse... Until the curse consumes my body, I'm meant to live on in pain..." Ashitaka said in a faint voice

A huge white Boar God with four tusks approached through the trees.

"It's Okkotonushi. At last someone has come who might understand a little." Moro said

Okkotonushi want up to the spot where Ashitaka was lying on the ground. San got panicked, what did all the boars have against her love? She had to do something and fast! She went over to the boar, but she looked it to be best to still speak respectfully to a god:

"Wait, Okkotonushi-sama! If you wish to eat this person, please eat me too!"

"Ah, you're the daughter of Shishi-gami, aren't you. I've heard the rumors." Okkotonushi said in a rough voice

"Your eyes..." San murmured

"Please step back, I will not eat him."

"My princess of the forest…." San gasped at this addressee from Ashitaka "Don't be concerned. For I want to impart the final moments of Nago-no-kami..."

Ashitaka held up his hand for Okkotonushi to sniff.

"Thank you, young one... It is a sad thing that a Tatari-gami emerged from our clan." Okkotonushi said

"Okkotonushi-sama, is there any way to erase this curse?" San asked, but Okkotonushi kept speaking to Ashitaka, not paying mind on her:

"Young one, leave the forest. The next time we meet, I will have to kill you as well."

"Okkotonushi, we cannot prevail against the humans' Ishibiya by numbers alone." Moro said

"Moro, look at my clan. They are all becoming smaller and more stupid. If this continues, we will probably become hunted by the humans as mere meat." Okkotonushi said

"I don't like it. To want to settle it all at once would be doing exactly as the humans would have us act."

"I would not think to ask for the help of the Mountain Dogs. Even if our clan is completely annihilated, we will have our vengeance on the humans." He then turned to San: "My young princess, I'll see you in the battle field"

As Okkotonushi disappeared into the forest, followed by the other boars, Ashitaka again lost consciousness. After the boars have gone, San saw the Shishi-gami standing on top of the water across the pond. It looked at her briefly, then walked quickly on the water until it is out of sight.

"...! Otousama…..." she whispered (Otousama: respectful term of "Father")

"Take you life-mate, San. Let's take him to our den, he'll be more safe there, until he recovers." Moro then said.


	10. The Tatara war and Ashitaka's defending

On the road leading to Tatara Ba, Eboshi and her men were fighting against an army of samurai while protecting their supply train.

"Don't shoot yet. Draw them in closer! Fire!" Eboshi gave orders. The guns killed some of the army

"Reload, hurry!" Gonza said

Eboshi shot a pair of samurai off their horses. The samurais said something like:"Turn back!" and "You bitc..".

Jiko-Bou observed the battle from a nearby hilltop with the men of the Karakasa Ren, who were the men following him.

"Well, well, Eboshi's people. They're probably the wrong foe..." he murmured. Then, he said one of his men: "You men, go on ahead of me and hide yourselves."

At the gate of Tatara Ba, Toki and some of the women were standing in watch with new-model Ishibiya. Lady Eboshi's supply train appeared in the distance.

"I saw them! They've come back!" One of the women said

An Ishibiya trooper from the supply train approached Jiko-Bou.

"Boss..."

"Oh, thanks for your trouble. We're going to move slowly; tell everyone so as well." Jiko-Bou said

"Yessir."

Jiko-Bou fell in with the train beside Eboshi.

"Jiko-Bou?" Eboshi said.

"We've an urgent request from the Shishou-ren. This is no time to be playing around with backwoods samurai." Jiko-Bou said to her

"Chief warlord Asano is instigating the ordinary samurai against us." Eboshi said

"Asano, eh... A powerful samurai, isn't he."

"He came demanding that we give him half our iron."

"That's greedy! But this is not the time to be quarreling with humans. The boar gods are gathering in the forest. They'll come soon. This time, give Asano all the iron and the like. After you fulfill your promise to the Shishou-ren, you can do battle or whatever you want." Jiko-Bou said

As they reached the gate of Tatara Ba, some horsemen appeared in the distance.

"Eboshi-sama! Hurry! Samurai are coming. Hurry!" Women yelled

"Speak of the devil. That's Asano's messenger, isn't it..." Jiko-Bou murmured.

"It's a messenger. Entertain him hospitably." Eboshi said to the women

"Yes ma'am!" Eboshi and Jiko-Bou entered the Tatara Ba 

"Welcome back!" said some women when Eboshi entered. The gate closed behind them

"Hey, you're not going to meet them!" Jiko-Bou asked

"Tatara woman called Eboshi, your battle a little while ago against the local samurai was magnificent. We came as messengers from the Chief Warlord. Obey respectfully and open the gates!" The messenger said to the women of the tower

"Hmph, if you have business here, then you should state it from there!" One of the women said

"Eboshi-sama grabbed these mountains away from the Mononoke."

"You're reaching your hand out because you think it'll be profitable, damn you! Leave this place at once!"

"You women, I will not tolerate insolence towards Asano-sama's messenger!" said the messenger

"He says we're insolent?" One woman said to the others

"We've been insolent the whole time since we were born!" Other woman said to the messenger. Then they all stuck out their tongues

"Phhht!"

"If you want iron, I'll give you some!" One woman said and fired a shot near the messenger's horse; the messengers retreat.

Inside Tatara Ba, Jiko-Bou showed Eboshi a document.

"Oh, man! Neither the Mononoke nor the samurai are any match for you. It truly shows the feisty side of you!" said Jiko-Bou

"You really think this piece of paper holds any value?" Eboshi asked

"Well, it helps in a lot of beauraucratic situations. After all, we are going to kill a god."

Lady Eboshi beckoned to some women standing nearby.

"Yes, Eboshi-sama?"

"Do you understand what is written on this paper? It is from the Emperor." Eboshi said

"The Emperor?" one woman said

"Who's the Emperor?" another asked

"The Mikado." Eboshi said

"Mikado..." women said together

"OK, you got me there." Jiko-Bou laughed

"You may go." Eboshi said to the women. Then she said to Jiko-Bou: "If we continue to make steel here, the power of the forest will weaken. There will be fewer casualties that way."

"We gave you plenty of money and raw steel. The reason you were lent the Ishibiya troops was not to make steel. But, then again, you probably know that already." Jiko-Bou said

"Don't tell me even you have come to believe the legend that the head of the Shishi-gami brings Eternal youth." Eboshi said

"I don't know what the people up above are thinking about... and I don't want to know."

"I will keep my promise. It will probably be easier to take care of the Boar clan than the Moro clan. And bring out those suspicious looking ones from behind the ravine."

"You saw right through it!" Jiko-Bou laughed. Eboshi started walking away, but Jiko-Bou stopped her by saying: "Oh, yeah, one more thing... Did a young man and lady come through your village recently? Riding an Akashishi?"

"Beats me." Eboshi said

Later in the evening the Jibashiri and Karakasa Ren enter Tatara Ba.

"Something about them makes my skin crawl." One woman said

"They're not ordinary hunters. They're Jibashiri." Said Kouroku

"Jibashiri?" a man said

Later, in the fortress meeting hall, Eboshi was speaking with many women.

"Please let us help!" on woman said

"We can't trust strangers!"

"If something happens to you, Eboshi-sama, there'll be nothing we can do!"

"And you just taught us how to use the Ishibya..."

"I want everyone to protect this place." Eboshi said "The thing to be feared most are humans, not Mononoke. After the Shishi-gami is dead, you will understand. You think that those ragged, umbrella-toting monks will stop with just the Shishi-gami's head? It's not just the samurai; the Ishibya troops may turn to become our foes as well. We can't rely on the men. Do your best."

Gonza then said:

"Don't worry about Eboshi-sama. I, Gonza, will protect her with my life!"

"If that were only true." Toki said

"What!"

"It might have been better if you were a woman after all!" Toki said and stuck her tongue at him, making the women including Eboshi, laugh.

* * *

Ashitaka woke up because of a pain in his right arm. The pain was almost unbearable. He noticed he also felt really weak, like he would have been in coma. He knew he hadn't been in coma, so he thought he had to had slept for many days. He noticed he was in some sort of cave and San was in deep sleep next to him. He walked out onto a ledge in front of the cave entrance, and looked down at the forest under the moonlight. It was a beautiful sight.

"Do you suffer?" he heard Moro's voice and saw her lying atop of the entrance. "If you jump now, from here, you could end it all. As you regain your strength, so will you wound spread" she continued. Ashitaka didn't mind, but said instead:

"It seems I was asleep for many days. All I remember was to be in the care of San" "If you would have raised even a single cry, I would have ripped your throat apart. It seems I missed my chance. What is it you stare at?"

"It's such a beautiful forest. Has Okkotonushi moved yet?"

"Go back inside the cave, young one. How can you hear the sorrowful cries of the forest as the boars move among the trees? I sit here listening to the forest's desperate cries with my dying body while waiting for that woman to appear! How I dream of the moment when I can sink my fangs into her head!"

"Moro, there is a way for the forest and humans to coexist without conflict. I grew up in the place like that. So did San. Can't this really be stopped already?"

"The humans but grow and grow in numbers. In time they'll reach even here" Moro said

"What about San? Are you planning to let her die if she loses in the battle against humans?" Ashitaka asked, a bit angry and worried as well

"Just like a human. Such an irrational, selfish thought. San is one of us, technically she's the daughter of the forest. She lives with the forest, and shall die when it dies."

"Release her! She's still a human!"

"Quiet, young one! How can you pretend to understand that girl's misfortune? She is but a god child who was made into a human body. It really weakened Shishi-gami-sama's powers, and now he's almost completely unable to protect our forest. If the forest will die, because the Shishi-gami-sama dies in the hands of humans, San will know it's her fault. She's unable became fully human or a god either. She's a god with human's body, needs and mortality. She is dear, ugly, furless child I watched after! And you say that you can save San!"

"I don't know. But I know I can live together with her"

Moro only laughed at that: "How would you live with her? Would you fight humans away with San at your side?"

"No! That would only increase the hatred and grief!"

"Young one, there is nothing that you can do. You will eventually be consumed by the curse and die. Leave by the dawning of the sun!"

Ashitaka re-enters the cave to found San awake.

"I'm so happy to see you're awake. Were you able to walk?"

"Thank you. It is due to you and the Shishi-gami."

San smiled, and went back to sleep. Ashitaka watched her for a while, and put a cloth on her. Then he went to sleep as well.

* * *

Hi there! I just say that I must take a break now with this fic. I must think how I'll plan things out. San and Ashitaka will try to make a peace together, but how would I write it? If you've got ideas, feel free to tell me. I'll update as soon as I just can! 


	11. Starting to make peace

San woke up. She saw Ashitaka still sleeping and thought 'I better go now. I just hope he'll go back to the humans. I can't let him get into a danger because of me'

"Where do you think you're going?" she heard voice

"Ashitaka…I…" she tried to say, sitting back down

"San, were you just going to leave? Why?"

"….I don't want you to get hurt in this war."

"San, do you really want this war?"

"No, but…The legend…"

"San, the fate is not everything. If it would be the fate, I wouldn't be here, because you wouldn't have come with me in the first place. You said you can't live without me. Well, I can't live without you either. I don't care if I'll get hurt, I want to help you." Ashitaka said as he pulled San to his embrace

"But Ashitaka……what are we going to do?"

"We can at least try to stop this war. Everyone must understand they could live without it too. San, let's do this. I'll go to the Tatara Ba, you'll go to the forest gods. If our ways don't cross before it, let's meet on the mountain in the midnight. Is this okay with you?"

"Yes. But what if another one of us dies? Or both?"

"Then, another one living will have to keep fighting for this. After this is over, that another can do whatever wants. If both of us die, then it just can't be helped"

"I don't want to lose you."

"I don't want to lose you either, but this has to be done."

"Yes, I know." San said as she held her crystal dagger. They went out from the other side of the cave. Yakkuru was there, waiting. They went to him and Ashitaka climbed on his back.

"Take care of him now, okay?" San whispered to Yakkuru

"Be careful, San."

"You too."

With that, Ashitakarode away. San, maybe for the first time ever, felt really scared. She was afraid that she would never again see him alive. She had her god powers, but what about him? Would he survive through this. He had the curse, but…

There was so much she had wanted to say, so much she had wanted to ask…And now it might be too late. She wiped a few tears from her eyes and started running to Moro and her cubs.

* * *

Sometime before this, Eboshi and Jiko-Bou were leaving with every man and Ishibiya troops that were in condition good enough to fight.

"With this many men, it should be easy to kill the boars. And we have a lot of tricks for them" Jiko-Bou said as he walked with Eboshi out from the Tatara Ba.

"Don't take this too lightly. They have the Mononoke Hime on their side"

"Mononoke Hime? Don't tell me you still believe that old stupid legend"

"It's not just a legend. She's that younglady stranger you too have met. I asked her some questions from the legend, and there is no doubt it's her. The legend says 'Friendship and love is like no other between princess and the warrior'. And she is just like the legend says, strong, wild and nature-loving. She went to the forest a few days ago. I'm pretty sure she knows who she really is" Eboshi said to that.

"Well, strong or not, she'll die if the guns hit her. I think we can handle her too." Jiko-Bou said.


	12. San's war

San reached Moro and her cubs somewhere deep in the forest. They saw Eboshi, Jiko-Bou and their men busy with working. They were burning something, which made a horrible scent of smoke.

"What a terrible smell... it makes me sick." San said to Moro

"It is not normal smoke. They're trying to confuse our sense of smell." Moro said

"Eboshi is there…and the weird monk that helped me and Ashitaka before! What's he doing here?" San said. Eboshi came closer and looked where they were hiding  
"She knows we're here." San murmured

"Such an obvious trap." Moro said

"Trap?"

"She's trying to draw us from the forest. She must indeed have something big planned." Moro explained

"We must stop the boars! They've already started to move. This war isn't even needed!"

"Okkotonushi is no fool. Even though he knows it's futile, he intends to attack from the front. That is the pride of the boars. They will try and break through until the last boar falls." Moro said as some men cut down some trees

"They've started to cut the trees." San said

"That is but bait."

"Moro, I bid you farewell. I'm going to stop Okkotonushi and his warriors. I want to stop this war, or die trying." San said

"That is also fine." Moro said in a calm voice "I respect your decisions, my princess."

"I'd like you to call me San. Addressing me as a princess doesn't fit"

"San it is then. I wish you luck, San" Moro said and turned to her sons: "You go with San; I will stay by the Shishi-gami's side."

"Let's go!" San said and climbed on the back of another one of the cubs.

With them, San soon found the rampaging boars

"I came here to speak with Okkotonushi-sama. Could you tell me where he is?" San asked from one of the boars. A few of the squealed as an answer. San however understood and said: "Thank you!"

San soon reached Okkotonushi.

"Okkotonushi-sama, please stop this! It's no use fighting humans! You'll all die"

"My young princess. You came?"

"Yes, but not to fight. Please, turn back and stop this hatred!" San begged

"It's too late, my princess. I may die, but at least I die a honorable death"

"Okkotonushi-sama!" San screamed, but Okkotonushi only ran more ahead. The young mountain dogs tried to reach him with San, but then suddenly, San saw humans, then a bright light. After that, she was no longer had idea what happened.


	13. Ashitaka's war

While San was with boars, Ashitaka rode Yakkuru down the mountain. Then, he suddenly heard a sound like distant thunder. He saw he was in the lake of Tatara Ba. The sound of gunfire came from across the lake.

"It's coming from Tatara Ba! Let's go!" Ashitaka said as he noticed a group of samurai guarding the lake shore.

"(Samurai!)" he said to himself

"Who goes there? Stop!" One of the samurai said

"I'm coming through!"

Yakkuru leaped over the samurai into the lake.

"He's good!" another samurai said

As Ashitaka and Yakkuru swam across the lake, archers shot at them, but Ashitaka blocked the arrows with his sword.

"He blocked them!"

"He's pretty skilled! Stop it! It's a waste of arrows!"

As Ashitaka approached Tatara Ba, he sees that the main gate was already broken, and the bodies of Tatara people were scattered all over. He neared the bottom of the fortress wall, on top of which the women were standing guard.

"Hurry, hurry!" One woman gave orders

"It's true, it really is him!" said one woman to another

"That's not a ghost, is it?" Third one wondered

"Ashitaka-sama!" Toki called for his name

"Toki-san! Is that you? Is everyone all right?" Ashitaka asked from down

"Just as you see. The samurai have started to attack because the men are gone. The lower side is already beaten! They think they have it easy because it's only women." Toki said

"Where is Eboshi-sama?"

"She took all the able men and the Ishibiya troops to hunt the Shishi-gami and the Mononoke Hime. There's no way to tell them of our predicament!"

"Hunt the Shishi-gami! So the sound before was..." Ashitaka murmured. Then he remembered 'San!'

"Danna! I kept this for you!" Kouroku said as he threw Ashitaka's bow and arrows down, who caught them.

"Why didn't you bring something more useful, like an Ishibiya? You good-for-nothing!" Toki snapped at her husband

"Thanks, Kouroku! I'll go and ask Eboshi-sama for help. You think you can stand until then?" Ashitaka asked

"If worse comes to worse, we'll poor molten steel on them!" Toki answered him

"Ashitaka-sama, we're counting on you!"

"Quickly, go get Eboshi-sama!"

Then, one of the lepers shot an Ishibiya at appoarching boats

"Oh, damn, I missed." The leper said 

"The ships are coming, hurry!" another leper said to Ashitaka

"We leave Eboshi-sama in your hands!"

"We shall also fight!"

"I promise I will bring her back! Keep fighting!" Ashitaka said

"Good luck!" Toki said

"Take care!"

'I must find Eboshi. San will also be there. I just hope she's okay'

Ashitaka and Yakkuru left under a hail of arrows from the samurai boats. However, another group of samurai atop a nearby hill saw them.

"There he is! Signal flare!" said one of the samurai

Four horsemen pursued Ashitaka and Yakkuru.

"They're after us! I'm counting on you, Yakkuru!" Ashitaka said

Yakkuru outran the horses until they came to ridge overlooking a rocky mountain from which black smoke was pouring."It smells of burned flesh." Ashitaka noticed

Then suddenly Yakkuru and Ashitaka were tumbling down the ridge; Yakkuru had been hit by an arrow."Yakkuru!" Ashitaka screamed as he went to his friend

Ashitaka pulled out the arrow, but the horsemen came into sight and attacked.

"Come on!" Samurai screamed

"Don't come any closer!" Ashitaka warned

He then used arrows and sword to dismember three of the horsemen; the fourth beat a hasty retreat. Ashitaka then checked on Yakkuru

"Show me your wound!" It was bleeding, but not too serious. Yakkuru however wouldn't be able to run for a little while "I'm sorry, wait for me here! I'll be back." Ashitaka said and started running towards the blackened hill, but Yakkuru tried to follow him

"I said wait!"

As Yakkuru continued to hobble after him, Ashitaka finally gave in, and led Yakkuru by his reins.

"Keep going, it's only a little more."

* * *

Ashitaka reached Eboshi's camp to find that it was covered with a sea of bodies - of men and boars. Ashitaka looked for San, but she seemed to not be among the dead.

'I sure hope she isn't' he thought

"Who are you?" he heard a male voice. He turned to see a man dressed almost the same as Jiko-Bou, but this man had his face covered. He also had a red umbrella, like Jiko-Bou.  
"This is a place for the dead; you don't belong here. Leave!" The man said

"I must keep a promise I made to the people at Tatara Ba. There's something urgent I must tell the people here. I wish to speak with Eboshi-sama." Ashitaka answered

"Eboshi-sama is not here. Tell me what you wish to speak of."

"I will speak to her only. Where is Eboshi-sama?"

The gatekeeper and other men from Tatara Ba approached, carrying shovels.

"Danna! You're alive?" one of them said

"Old one, what a dreadful thing this has become." Ashitaka said

"There's still more people buried out there."

"Dreadful doesn't even begin to describe it."

"Tatara Ba is under siege by samurai. The women are holed up in the upper towers! If you go now, you might make it." Ashitaka told them the situation

"What a mess this has become."

"Damn Lord Asano! What a cowardly act, attacking at this time!"

"Is Eboshi-sama not here?" Ashitaka asked

"She went to the forest to kill the Shishi-gami." The gatekeeper said

"You must call her back immediately, otherwise it will be too late!"

"If you're done babbling, then leave! Everyone, back to work!" the monk-man said

"What? You intend to leave those at Tatara Ba to their deaths? If we don't leave now, everyone will die!" the gatekeeper snapped

"You can't be serious!"

"The forest is vast and deep; there's no way we could find her in time." The monk-man protested

"Liar! You're all skilled trackers known far and wide! You could find anyone you wanted!"

"Eboshi-sama's being controlled by those bastards." One of the men said to Ashitaka

"Did you see a mountain dog among the flood of attacking boars? Was San…Was there a young maiden with them?" Ashitaka asked

"I have no idea. They came in a big black wave, so..."

"I did. We were at the front of the lines..." said another man, crouched next to the dead men.

"And?" Ashitaka asked

"I don't know. All of a sudden I became so confused..." the man said as he started crying. Ashitaka crouched as well and put a comforting hand on the man's shoulder.

"Those ragged bamboo people used us as bait to draw in the wild boars, then blew up the ground in front of us!" the other man said.

Ashitaka was now really worried about his fiancée. She couldn't have made it, could she?

'No, I can't give up on hope. San is strong. She might still be alive, somewhere, somehow…'

Then, Ashitaka heard one of the young mountain dogs attempting to free himself from beneath a pile of dead boars. He rushed to attempt to free the wolf.

"San... what happened to San?" he asked from the wolf and then tried to pull the dead boar from the wolf "Calm down, I want to help you!" he said

"My god, it's a mountain dog! There's a mountain dog alive! D-Danna... what are you doing..." one of the Tatara men said as he saw the mountain dog and Ashitaka

"Danna..."

"You! What do you think you're doing?" the monk-man said. More of his kinds came up too.

"I need this one to guide me. If you will not go and get Eboshi-sama, I will." Ashitaka said

"You would go that far!"

"Move!"

The Monk-men shot darts at Ashitaka, but he dodges them.

"Which is more important, the Shishi-gami's head, or Tatara Ba?" Ashitaka asked as another dart was shot

"Poison darts! Stop it!" One man said

"You bastard!"

The Karakasa-ren prepared to shoot again, but the gatekeeper and the other Tatara men knocked them out with their shovels. The gatekeeper led the Tatara men down to help Ashitaka free the mountain dog

"Everyone, together at once! It's free!"

Yakkuru approached the freed wolf, and they stare at each other as if to communicate.

"Everyone go down the hill and hide in the lake." Ashitaka advised the men

"Please be careful. The Ishibiya troops are also their allies now." The gatekeeper said to him

"Please keep this for me; my last arrow broke." Ashitaka said as he handed them his bow. Then he went to Yakkuru "You stay here with everyone else..." he said to him and then he turned to the Tatara men: "Take care of Yakkuru!".

Then he ran off with the mountain dog.

"Quickly, to San! Eboshi will be there as well!"

They ran to the forest.


	14. TatariOkkotonushi

Jiko-Bou and Eboshi continued the hunt for the Shishi-gami.

"Don't lag behind the Jibashiri! We're going to settle this once and for all today!" Jiko-Bou commend the Ishibiya troops.

"Jiko-Bou-sama." One of the hunters said as he came to them

"Oh, you're back! How does it look?" Jiko-Bou asked

"The fatally wounded Okkotonushi is heading deeper into the forest, alongside the Mononoke Hime."

"Just like I thought. They seek help from the Shishi-gami. Follow them well! If they figure out that you're human, the Shishi-gami will not come out." Jiko-Bou said

"Heh, you don't have to tell me twice." The hunter said as he ran away

"What was that on his face? Boar blood?" Eboshi asked

"It's the Jibashiri way."

* * *

In another part of the forest, San, Okkotonushi, and another son of Moro were hurrying to the Shishi-gami's pond. Okkotonushi was badly hurt.

"Hang in there, we're almost at the Otousama's pond." San said to Okkotonushi. They had somehow managed to survive from the humans' mines. But almost all the boars had been killed, and it seemed that the other son of Moro as well.

"Something's coming. Something's wrong with Okkotonushi-sama." San said to the mountain dog. Then she said to Okkotonushi: "We're almost there, so please hang on."

"Something dark is coming." The dog said

"What is it? I can't smell anything with all this blood." San said

Twigs and branches started raining down on them from the treetops.

"The Shoujou!" San noticed

"This forest is done for! It's your fault!" said one of the Shoujou

"This forest is no more!" another one said

"Is this the thanks the Shoujou give to those who tried to save the forest?" San asked

"You've brought something unspeakable into this forest!"

"Something neither human nor beast."

"Neither human nor beast..." San murmured. Then she noticed, that all kind of small animals ran through them in horror. 'Not a good sign' she thought

"They come!" the Shoujou said

"The forest is done for!" Another said

A spooky-looking, eyeless boar appeared between the trees. Others started appearing beside it.

"The warriors..." San murmured

"They're back... they've come back. My warriors have come back for me! Come, let us go forth to the Shishi-gami!" Okkotonushi said as he sniffled the air.

Okkotonushi started charging towards the Shishi-gami's pond, the "ghost" boars in pursuit; San attempted to restrain him.

"Okkotonushi-sama, calm yourself! Those who die can never come back! They're covering their scent with the skins of the boars... humans. Stop! You mustn't show them the way to Otousama!" San tried to explain to him

"Shishi-gami-sama! Come forth! Bring back my warriors so that we may overthrow the humans!" Okkotonushi screamed in fury

"Okkotonushi-sama, please, calm yourself!" San said

"He's done for! Leave him behind." The mountain dog tried to advise her

"No, we can't leave him like this! He'll become a Tatari-gami and kill more innocent lives! You must go back and tell Moro about the humans' trap! If she comes, she will lend us her strength! Hurry, go, you must not let the Moro clan die! Go." San advised the dog, who leaped over the boarhide-covered humans and disappeared. Okkotonushi collapsed, and the "ghost" boars surround him. San forced them back with spear she had got.

"I will kill the first one who comes forth. I will expose your true form for all the forest to see!" She said. Then, suddenly she heard a howl of a mountain dog in the distance. She gasped "Ashitaka?"

The "ghost" boars approached Okkotonushi again."Back! Go back!" San screamed

Red and black "slugs" began erupt from Okkotonushi's hide.

"Hot, so hot." Okkotonushi murmured "My body burns like fire."

"No!" San screamed as she noticed the slugs and desperately attempted to clear them away from Okkotonushi, but they only kept growing "Okkotonushi-sama, you mustn't become a Tatari-gami!

Okkotonushi-sama..."

One of the men in the boar hid slinged a stone at San, knocking her unconscious.

* * *

On a cliff-top, Ashitaka heard the answering howling from the forest.

"He answered!" he said and listened to howling "Did you get that?"

"San is in danger." The dog said

"Let's go!"

They hurried down the cliff to the forest.

* * *

San regained consciousness to find herself caught in the black feelers of Okkotonushi. She saw that the black feelers were also coming out of herself.

"It burns..." she murmured as she tried to get off from the slugs, but they went through her hand and glued her to Okkotonushi "No! I don't want to become a Tatari-gami! Okkotonushi-sama!" she screamed

* * *

Ashitaka and the wolf approached a sheer cliff face.

"Too slow, get on!" the dog said.

Ashitaka jumped onto the wolf's back, and they flied down the cliff. At the bottom, they came across the party of Eboshi and Jiko-Bou advancing in the forest.

"Eboshi..."

Jiko-Bou's men fired Ishibiya at the mountain dog.

"Shit! You go on ahead!" Ashitaka said to the wolf and jumped away from his back "Eboshi! Listen to me!" he screamed

"Stop, stop!" Jiko-Bou said to the Ishibiya troops as he saw Ashitaka

"Ashitaka, is that you?" Eboshi asked

"Tatara Ba is being attacked by Lord Asano!" Ashitaka called out for her "Stop this futile fight against the Shishi-gami and return at once! The women are fighting. The men are hiding down from the lake. Everyone is waiting for your return!"

"What proof do you have?" Eboshi asked

"None! If I could, I would have stayed and fought for Tatara Ba."

"Are you telling me to not kill the Shishi-gami, and instead kill samurai?" Eboshi asked

"No! Is there no way the forest and Tatara Ba can coexist?" Ashitaka asked as he disappeared into the forest.

"Which side is he on?" Jiko-Bou wondered

"Eboshi-sama, let's go back." Gonza said

"I gave the women enough arms to hold out for a while yet. And as I told them, "One's life is but for one to protect." It's a pond, the Shishi-gami is close." Eboshi said to that and started going on ahead

"We're almost there. Don't let your guard down." Jiko-Bou said to his men

"Why don't we just get rid of her now?" one of them asked

"Killing gods is pretty scary. Let her do it." Jiko-Bou answered


	15. ShishiGami dies

Ashitaka arrived at the Shishi-gami's pond and found Moro lying on the shore.

"Moro, are you dead?" He asked "San! Where are you? San!"

Swallowed up by the black feelers of the Tatari-gami, San faintly heard Ashitaka.

"Ashitaka!" she screamed

The Tarari-Okkotonushi came out of the forest towards the pond, followed by the hunters wearing boar hides.

"Okkotonushi..." Ashitaka murmured. The hunters came all around him

"Move aside." Said one of them

"If you fight here, the Shishi-gami will not come out." Ashitaka said. Then, he spoke to Okkotonushi: "Okkotonushi, please calm down! Okkotonushi, please give back the Princess of the forest. Where is San? San, can you hear me? It's Ashitaka!"

Then, he noticed San's leg sticking out of the black feelers.

"San...!"

Ashitaka dashed towards Okkotonushi to save San, breaking through the encircling "ghost" boars.

"Get rid of him. Kill him, kill him!" one of the hunters gave orders to the others.

The hunters shot darts at Ashitaka, but Moro's two sons attacked them. Ashitaka jumped into the black mass of Tatari-Okkotonushi.

"San!" he tried reaching her and then saw her crystal dagger between the "slugs" and managed to get hold on unconscious San "San!"

San got her conscious back

"Ashitaka...!"

They tried to reach each other, but Ashitaka was thrown into the air as San was sallowed more deeply into Tatari-Okkotonushi. Ashitaka bounced off the prone Moro's head and fell into the pond, unconscious.

"Ashitaka!" San screamed

Moro opened her eyes slowly.

"And I thought I was saving the last of my strength for that woman..." she murmured as she raised herself slowly on her front legs, the rear part of her body still immersed in the Shishi-gami's pond.

"Set up a defensive line!" one of the hunters screamed as Moro's sons attached more of the humans. Then, they hurried to Moro

"Do not interfere. The Tatari-gami's curse is not yours to bear." Moro said to them

As the young wolves backed away, Tatari-Okkotonushi approached Moro."Huh, you've even lost your power of speech?" Moro said

* * *

Jiko-Bou, Eboshi, and their party were hiding behind trees near the pond.

"You did well." Jiko-Bou said to his hunters "Help the wounded. Go. My, my, what a scary sight indeed."

The Shishi-gami appeared on the distant island in the middle of the pond.

"There it is." Jiko-Bou murmured

Tatari-Okkotonushi butted Moro with his snout.

"Give the child back to me." Moro said as she used her jaws to extract San from the black "slugs"

"Ashitaka, can you save San?" she said

At the bottom of the pond, half-unconscious, Ashitaka heard Moro. He opened his eyes, and swam to the surface of the pond. When he surfaced, Ashitaka and Tatari-Okkotonushi saw the Shishi-gami slowly walking on the water towards them. Tatari-Okkotonushi became still as he stared at the Shishi-gami.

"Shishi-gami..." Ashitaka whispered

As the Shishi-gami reached Ashitaka. Eboshi, hiding behind the trees, shot the Shishi-gami. The bullet passed through the his head. The Shishi-gami's hooves started to sink into the water.

"Eboshi! Don't shoot!" Ashitaka called

The Shishi-gami regained his balance, and continued walking on the water past Ashitaka as if nothing had happened.

"Eboshi, you have other enemies you must fight!" Ashitaka called as he started swimming after the Shishi-gami to the shore. The Shishi-gami reached the shore, and approached Okkotonushi.

"The Ishibiya didn't work." Jiko-Bou said to Eboshi

"We'll have to go for the head." Eboshi only said

Ashitaka jumped out of the pond and took San from Moro"San! You mustn't die!" He said as he jumped back to the pond with San in his arms

Ashitaka pulled San under the surface of the pond with him; the water of the pond cleaned the black feelers from them.

On the shore of the pond, the Shishi-gami kissed Okkotonushi's muzzle. Okkotonushi collapsed and died. Moro, standing next to him, collapsed at the same time.

"The Shishi-gami absorbs life? My god!" Jiko-Bou stared

As Ashitaka returned to the surface with San, the Shishi-gami looked up at the Moon in the sky, and began transforming.

"Oh, no, he's turning into the Night-walker!" Jiko-Bou said

"Everyone, watch closely." Eboshi said to the men "This is how you kill a god. The Shishi-gami is one who also beckons death."

Eboshi ran towards the Shishi-gami and started firing her Ishibiya. As Ashitaka noticed what she was doing he called "Don't!" as he threw his sword, which hit Eboshi's Ishibiya and forced it to misfire "Eboshi" Ashitaka said in a serious voice, as he came out from the pond, with San in his arms in bridal style.

Eboshi prepared another shot, but the Shishi-gami turned and looked at Eboshi with his strange eyes. Plants sprouted out of her Ishibiya

"Shit... you monster!" Eboshi said and shot him again. The bullet hit the half-transformed Shishi-gami in his neck. As she did so, San also came in to her conscious again and tried to get away from Ashitaka, but he was holding her too thigh, knowing that she would be in a great danger if he would let her go.

The head of Shishi-gami fell onto the ground. The headless body of the Shishi-gami turned into black, tar-like slime and exploded. Everything the slime touched, died. Great trees fell down, and dead Kodama fall like snow.

"We did it! Hurry up and get the head!" Jiko-Bou said to the men

"Jiko-Bou, bring the container for the head." Eboshi said

"The carriers were all killed. Hurry, hurry!" Jiko-Bou continued to advising the men

"Don't let the Shishi-gami's body touch you. It will take your life." Then she threw the head to Jiko-Bou "Catch! The promised head." She said. Jiko-Bou caught it and put it into a container. Then, suddenly, Moro's head, detached from the body, flied and bit Eboshi's right arm off. After done that, the head dove right away in to the slime and died.

"Eboshi-sama!"

"Moro, you bitch. You were able to move, even though you were only a head." Eboshi murmured.

Jiko-Bou advised the men carrying the container:

"Hurry! I said hurry! Run! Run away!"

Ashitaka swam over to Lady Eboshi and Gonza, and pulled Eboshi into the pond with him.

"Hurry up, get in the water!" he said to Gonza

"But I can't swim!"

"You can walk on the bottom."

They reached the other shore, where San was standing. San ripped the crystal dagger from the cord around her neck, and wielded the dagger.

"Give her to me, I'll make her sleep a lot easier! I'll take revenge for the forest of my father and your curse!"

Ashitaka only gave her a look and took his shirt off, making a band of it for Eboshi. His curse had already reached his chest fully.

"Moro has already exacted vengeance on her. This is her punishment." He said to San

"Eboshi-sama!" Gonza worried in panic

"Give me a hand." Ashitaka said to him

"I don't need your help." Eboshi said and groaned

"I promised Toki and the others that I would bring you back." Ashitaka explained. This was true, he was angry with Eboshi for what she had done to San's father and his forests, but he never broke his promises, even though it would mean saving his worst enemy.

The black slime begins to form into a headless version of the Nigh-walker.

"It's looking for its head. This place isn't safe. San, give me your help." Ashitaka pleaded, but he could tell San was angry. Very angry.

"No! You're one of the humans!" San said furious

"San…my San…I thought by now you'd already would know that I know you. I know this isn't you. You're only scared and in shock. Please, let me help"

"No! Get away, I hate humans!"

"I'm human, San. You fell in love with me. And I know you loved Kaya, Hii-sama and Jii-ji, too. And San…You're human as well."

"No! I'm…neither…" San said. With that, she broke down. Her feet betrayed her and she fell on her knees. Tears started coming out from her eyes and she started crying hard, burying her face in her hands. Ashitaka walked to her, kneeled and hugged her, letting her cry on her shoulder, just like many times before

"I'm sorry. I tried my best to stop them." He whispered to her. Around them, the forest kept dying and many trees fell down.

"This is the end of everything. I've failed everyone. The forest is dying" San murmured as more tears came from her eyes

Ashitaka embraced her a bit more thigh, then he gently took her away from his arms and held her form her shoulders, looking deep in her eyes

"No, this is not the end. We are still alive. With your help, we can make everything alright. Trust me, San" Ashitaka said in gentle, but serious voice. With that, San felt her belief coming back. She nodded as an agreement.


	16. Final fight, choises, love

The siege had temporarily quieted as the samurai took a night rest. Inside the hold of Tatara Ba, the survivors were also asleep, exhausted. Toki was awake, and next to her was a leper woman, who was fixing Toki's Ishibiya.

"I got it, Toki." The leper woman said as she handed Toki the fixed Ishibiya

"Thank you." Toki said

"It's quiet."

"I intend to wait for dawn."

"I wonder if that young man ever reached Eboshi-sama." The leper woman said

"Of course he did! I'm sure of it. He may be right over there..." Toki said in faith

Kouroku, sleeping beside them, began to snore.

"Oh, man, Kouroku, you're such a slob." Toki said and started to shook him "Hey, Kouroku!"

"Let him sleep. It will be his only chance." The leper woman said

As the eastern sky began to light up, they heard a strange sound coming from the direction of the forest.

"What is it? I feel sick..." Toki murmured. Then they saw a headless giant rising over the hill and samurai running away for their lives. "The Nigh-walker!"

The headless Night-walker came nearer the Tatara Ba.

"Go, go, go, go!" Said one of the Tatara men

"It's a Tatari-gami!"

"Don't leave your posts!"

"Toki, what do we do? It's coming this way!" one of the women asked

"It's no use, let's run!" Kouroku said

"No, we will protect Tatara Ba! We promised Eboshi-sama!" Toki said

Ashitaka and San appeared, riding the wolves on the shore of the lake.

"It's him! And miss San is with him!" Toki noticed

"Ashitaka-sama!"

"Everyone, run! The Shishi-gami has come to take back its head! If you touch this black ooze, you'll die! Run for the lake, the water will slow it down... Eboshi and the men are on the other side, heading this way. We're going to go and try to get the Shishi-gami's head." Ashitaka told them

The black slime neared Ashitaka and San.

"Ashitaka!" San called

"Hurry!" Ashitaka said to the Tatara people as he ran to San and the mountain dogs and left with them

"It's coming this way!" a Tatara woman said

"Don't panic! Get everyone to the lake! Keep calm. Lend a hand to the wounded." Toki advised the people, who exited the Tatara Ba. Some people however started going the wrong way on the bridge "No, not that way!" Toki tired calling them, but it was too late

"Oh, the great hall... It's no use, Tatara Ba is lost." Kouroku said in the lake to his wife

"As long as we're alive, we still have hope. Hurry to deeper water!" Toki answered to that

* * *

Ashitaka and San, riding the wolves, reached a mountaintop and caught sight of Jiko-Bou and his container carriers.

"There they are, over there!" San said as they ran towards them. Then she and Ashitaka left the wolves "Go!" San said to them

They came to Jiko-Bou and his men 

"Hold!" Ashitaka said

"Oh, you're alive! I'm so glad!" Jiko-Bou said

"We're going to give the Shishi-gami its head back. Leave it and get out of here!" Ashitaka said

"Don't say something so foolish! There's nothing you can do about it now. Look! The Shishi-gami's sucked up so much life, it's bloated and slow... When the sun's rays hit it, it will disintegrate into nothingness." Jiko-Bou said

"Jiko-Bou-sama, it's almost upon us!" a man said "Hurry!"

"A human's folly causes him to be hung between heaven and hell." Jiko-Bou said

"I do not wish to kill you." Ashitaka said

"You got me there...Don't make such a scary face!" Jiko-Bou said as he attacked Ashitaka with his "takageta", high wooden shoes

"Run!" he called to the carriers

The container carriers reached the top of the hill, with San in pursuit, but part of the black slime descended like a giant hand in front of them. They dropped the container and ran.

"I'm outta here!"

The container rolled down the hill past San.

"Ashitaka!" San called

"Oh, no!" Jiko-Bou said as the container rolled over him and carried him down the hill until they hit a boulder. The black slime surrounded them.

"We're surrounded!" a monk-man said

"Sunlight, come forth!" Jiko-Bou said

"Jiko, open it!" Ashitaka said 

"You're a hardheaded one. Don't you understand? It's already too late."

"Ashitaka, it's useless to talk to a human." San said

"I wish to return it with my own hands." Ashitaka said, both to San and Jiko-Bou

"I take no responsibility for what happens..." Jiko-Bou murmured as he opened the containerThe head of the Shishi-gami was surrounded by a glowing, golden liquid. As Ashitaka and San held the head up, the liquid drips from the head onto them, and leaves red-black marks, resembling those of Ashitaka's curse, all over their bodies. San gasped at this

"Shishi-gami! We give back your head! Please, calm down!" Ashitaka called

"It's coming, it's coming!" Jiko-Bou panicked

The Night-walker stretched its neck towards its head. As the Night-walker bended over them, Ashitaka held San tightly. Ashitaka and San were enveloped in golden light.

* * *

Back at Tatara Ba, the townspeople stand in the lake, observing the Nigh-walker.

"It stopped moving." Kouroku murmured

Rafts appeared on the lake, bringing Eboshi, Gonza, the Tatara men, and Yakkuru.

"It's the men!" screamed one of the women

"Eboshi-sama! Are you alright?" Toki asked

"Don't touch the wound!" Gonza said

They saw the body of the Night-walker change its color from dark gray to gold, then its usual blue. Having regained its head, the Night-walker slowly stood up. Then, the first sunray of morning hit it.

"It's falling, it's falling!"

The Night-walker slowly fell down on the lake. It flashed with a bright blue-white light, and disappeared instantly. As it disappeared, a wind blew through. The wind blew out the fire at Tatara Ba, and blew away everything, including buildings, trees, horses, and samurai.

"Don't let go!"

After the wind ceased, plants started sprouting all over. The earth burned by the Night-walker is now covered entirely with green. The Tatara people watched this from the lake, stupefied. A leper woman looked at her hand, and realizes that the mark of her disease had disappeared.

"Wow. The Shishi-gami was the bearer of life..." Kouroku murmured

* * *

On the hill, Ashitaka slowly woke up, with San still in his arms. He noticed the plants around them and started shaking San gently as he said "San… San, look around you"

They both stood up and looked at this miracle

"Even if it recovers, this place is no longer the forest of the Shishi-gami. Otousama is dead." San said with sad look in her eyes

"The Shishi-gami will never die. He is both life and death itself. He told me to survive." Ashitaka said as he looked at his hand. There was only a small scar from his curse.

"San, everything is going to be okay. I know it is" Ashitaka said as he looked deep into her eyes. San started crying and buried her face on his chest. After a while she looked up into his eyes. They looked each other for a while, then they learned closer to each other and kissed.

This kiss was like no other. They had kissed many times before, but never like this. There was so much passion, so much love. San had to admit herself that she had missed Ashitaka begin this close to her. Some tears of love and happiness came from her eyes.

"San, what are you going to do now?" Ashitaka asked after they parted

San hadn't even thought about that. She felt that she couldn't forgive Eboshi and most of the humans of the Tatara Ba, but she still wanted to be with Ashitaka. But the forest needed her too…but she needed Ashitaka by her side. She couldn't live without him. What was she supposed to answer?

"I…I don't know."

"San, tell me your feelings about everything"

"Well…I feel that I can't forgive what the humans have done, not at least just now, and I feel that the forest needs me now. But…I don't want to lose you either."

"You will never lose me San."

"It's just…I can't live without your presence either"

"We can work this out San. I know we can. You can go back to the forest. I'll go to the Tatara Ba and help them rebuild it. After it's done, I'll come to live with you here. Until that day, I'll visit you from time to time" Ashitaka said

"Why won't you come with me right away?" San asked

"Because I think we should give the forest gods time. I don't think that the remaining gods would accept me right away in their forest. I'm human after all. I think we should give them time to learn accept me by my visits."

"But I'm human too!"

"Yes, you are, but you have a heart of a forest spirit. And you're the hero of the forest. You saved it and it's remaining gods. And you made the peace"

"No! It wasn't just me, it was both of us! Without you, I wouldn't have even survived with all that!"

"I know, but I don't think that the gods understand that. The legend was about you, San. I was only a bit there. We changed it, we changed fate. The fate can be changed, if you just believe and try hard. And I can help you to keep the peace up as a messenger between humans and the forest. Please, San, understand my reasoning"

San did understand. She just didn't** want** to understand. But she knew this was the way it should go. Like this, she could someday have both, the forest and her love.

Finally, she nodded and called Moro's sons with telepathy. While Ashitaka had been weak by the curse, Moro had taught her many things. Moro had almost felt like a mother. Moro's sons came and San climbed on the back of another one of them

"Ashitaka, aishiteru. Itsumo, itsumo" San said (Ashitaka, I love you(strongly). Always and always)

"Aishiteru itsumo mo, San. Take care" (I love you always too, San)

San smiled and rode away with the cubs. Ashitaka looked after her for some time.

* * *

Meanwhile, Eboshi is in the ruins of the Tatara Ba, with her remaining people

"I'm so ashamed. Being saved on the back of a Mountain Dog. Someone go get Ashitaka; I want to thank him. Everyone, let's start over. We'll make this a good village." Eboshi said

Jiko-Bou observed this from his boulder.

"Oh man, I can't win against fools." He said

At the shore of the Shishi-gami's pond, great dead trees looked like white bones. On the foot of them were sprouts, and a little Kodama appeared among them. As it clattered its head, its sound went through the forest...

* * *

"I'm so lonely in this forest nigh

I wish you would be here with me

But you can not run away, it's a fate

A fate that commands your life

Home, so far away, having to leave because of the curse

But you were with me, I'm glad

This was our story

Our story

My home is with you, your home is with fate

I want you to see, this is not your life

Live always like you want

It's not mine, nor anyone else's choice

But I'll be with you, since this is our story

Our story

I'm always with you,

I'm always with you,

My love

In our story"

* * *

Hello. Well, it's the end now. This is my longest story ever. It's 47 pages long in Microsoft World. But I had so fun time writing this! For once, I didn't feel insecure! I see the Mononoke is the thing I want to write. I'll try to plan some other story of it later. I may do a sequel for this story.

Thanks for this story to:

M Warrior, for reviewing first and the most,

The one whoever wrote the script into the internet, letting me have the real lines,

My mom, who bought the Mononoke Hime DVD for me, letting me to watch it,

Mr. Miyazaki himself, for making this wonderful movie,

And of course, all of you readers!

Well, I hope you've liked this story. Keep reading and reviewing!

By the way, I wrote that song! Its name is "Our story". I hope it's okay. Thanks for reading this story!

Sayounara, till the next time and have a good summer!

Respectfully yours,

KagomeGirl92


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